Friday Links | May 3, 2013

Last week a factory building collapsed in Bangladesh, and approximately 400 people were killed; most of them were female factory workers. About 150 people are still missing. The BBC spoke to Merina Khatun, who had spent four days trapped inside the rubble before she was rescued, and 14-year-old Halima Akhtar, who was employed as a sewing operator in one of the factories in the building and whose sister is still missing.

On May 11th, Pakistan will hold its elections, and while millions of women are registered to vote, the turnout of women, especially in the tribal areas, is expected to be very low. In many women’s polling stations during the 2008 elections not even one vote was cast, something that some female candidates hope to change by campaigning hard to get the female voice heard.

Australian teenager Hafsah Negussie claims that she was held against her will at a gas station, after an employee says he confused company policy and refused to serve her or to let her go, because she wears niqab.

A 14-year-old girl in Bihar, India has committed suicide, after her Islamic teacher tried to molest her.

Qantara.de speaks with Saudi film maker Ahd Kamel about her new film Sanctity, which tells the story of a young, pregnant Saudi widow and her struggle to keep herself and her unborn baby safe.

According to a report by the United States State Department, women in Gambia are still facing discrimination and sexual violence. Forced marriage and female genital mutilation are two other problems, especially because there are no laws against these practices.

In an interview with The Telegraph, divorcee Nivin El-Gamal tells “all” about her marriage with Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, her life and beliefs. The author of the article has some very interesting ideas and conclusions too, which make the article even more “thought-provoking.”